Permutation-padlock.



DE WJTT MEEK.

PERMUTATION PADLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED APR.10, 191s.

Patented June 27, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

z W a wit-mam DE WITT MEEK.

PERMUTATION PADLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED APR.10, 1915.

Patented June 27, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WiM woo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DE WITT MEEK, OF HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS.

PERMUTATION-PADLOCK.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I Dr. WrrT MEEK, a citizen of the United tates, residing at Hot Springs, in the county of Garland and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Permutation-Padlocks, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in permutation or combination padlocks, and one of the objects is to provide a simple, cheap and durable as well as effective and reliable lock of this class.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock of this character which may be locked and unlocked on a given combination and which also permits of the changing to a large number of different combinations,

thus adding greatly to the security against unauthorized or unlawful unlocking of the same.

\Vith the above and other objects in view, the improvement resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and falling within the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lock constructed in accordance with the present invention, Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the same approximately on the line 22 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the shackle in unlocked position, Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a horizontal section approximately on the line 55 of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a shackle, Fig. 7 is a similar view but looking toward the opposite side of the shackle, Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the collar member of the tumbler, Fig. 9 is a similar view of the ring or sleeve member. of the tumbler, Fig. 10 is a 1 plan view showing the collar arranged upon the sleeve member of the tumbler, Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one of the separator washers, and Fig. 12 is a view illustrating the manner in which the tumblers are removed from the shackle to permit of the changing of the combination of the look.

In carrying out my invention I employ a solid lock case or body 1 which is of a suitable size and shape and having one of its sides cored out to provide a recess orchamber 2 as well as to provide the said case or body with projecting arms or members 3 and 4 respectively, the sides of each of the said members being provided with marks Specification of Letters Patent. Patent d J 27 191% Application filed April 10, 1915.

Serial N 0. 20,454.

5-5 which are in perfect alinement, so that the letters or characters upon the outer faces of the rotary tumblers may be brought into proper register with the said marks to form the particular combination decided upon. The end of the case or body provided with the arm 3 is formed adjacent its opposite end with a rest or socket 6, while said arm 3 is formed with an opening 7 which is arranged diametrically opposite a socket 8 provided in the inner face of the arm 4.

The numeral 9 designates the shackle of the lock, the short leg 10 of which having its end provided with a reduced portion or tenon 11 that is normally received within the socket 6, and the longer arm 12 is passed through the opening 7 in the arm 3 and is received in the socket 8 of the arm 4. The longer arm 12 is provided with a collar 13 which normally rests upon the outer face of the arm 3 of the lock case or body. The portion of the long leg 12 arranged within the channel or recess 2 is provided at a suitable distance from the collar 13, with a plurality of spaced annular depressions 14. The members between the depressions 14 are provided with registering longitudinally extending grooves 15 which communicate with the annular depressions 14, and the leg.12 at its free end is provided with a substantially bayonet-shaped slot, one of the vertical portions 16 communicating with the annular depression 14 arranged adjacent the said free end of the leg and registering with the grooves 15. The horizontal portion 17 of said bayonet slot is approximately semi-cylindrical, that is, this portion of the slot extends around the leg 12 for approximately one-half of the circumference of said leg and the remaining vertical member 18 of the bayonet slot communicates with the outer or free end of the leg 12.

The numerals 19 designate the rotary tumblers for the lock. Each of these tumblers comprises an inner member or collar 20, the bore of the collar snugly receiving the leg 12 of the shackle, and each of the collars is approximately centrally provided with an opening to receive a bit 21, a portion of the bit projecting outwardly of the collar to provide a substantially V-shaped lug 22. The outer sleeve or ring member 23 of each of the tumblers has its bore formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending substantially V-shaped depressions 24, the said depressions being arranged opposite indepressions, as previously stated, being arranged diametrically opposite one of theindicating characters 25.

' Arranged between each of the tumblers is a washer 26 which serves as means for effectively sustaining the collars 20 within the rings or sleeves 23 and preventing the bits 21 from coming out of alinement with the annular depressions 14 when the right combination has been reached, and so permit the shackle being raised to bring its tenon,

11 out of the socket 6 and allow the said shackle to be swung upon the body or case 1. It is one 'of the objects of the present invention to prevent the shackle from being entirely removed from the look, as such removal is only desirous when the combination of the lock is to be changed. Therefore, the long leg 12 of the shackle can only he raised above the arm 3 of the case or body a distance equaling the distance between the lower wall of the lowermost annular depression 14 and the horizontal wall 17 of the bayonet slot, the means for vaccomplishing this purpose will presently be fully described.

In assembling the padlock a washer is arranged uponthe end of the leg 12 to contact with the face of the arm 3. Thereafter the tumbler having its collar and wing associated is passed upon the said leg, the bit 21 being first inserted through the portion 18 of the bayonet slot in the end of the leg 12 and rotated around the horizontal portion- 17 of the said shackle and forced through the vertical portion 16 and through the successive longitudinal grooves 15 until the said tumbler contacts with the washer. It will be noted that the portion 17 of the bayonet slot is arranged at a right angle to the longitudinal grooves 15, and as the shackle is positioned so that its tenon 11 is disposed just above the socket 6, one of the characters 25 will be arranged adjacent the mark 5 upon the arm 3. A second washer 26 is next inserted upon the leg 12, and the remaining tumblers are likewise positioned upon the said leg in a manner similar to that just described. Now, all of the indicating characters25 may coincide, that is, the combination may be set so that, say, the character 25 of all of the tumblers must be brought into register with the marks 5 of the arms 3 and 4 before their hits 21. will aline with the longitudinal groove 15 to permit first of an outward movement of the shackle and then the rotation of the shackle. The bit of the lower tumbler or the tumbler last arranged upon the leg 12 will, as previously stated, be arranged upon the shoulder provided by the horizontal groove 17 of the bayonet slot, and the shackle and tumbler may be simultaneously rotated, as the raising of the 15, and the shackle may be moved within thecase to bring its tenon within the socket 6.

The bits 21 of the tumblers are again' brought into register with the annular depressions and the said tumblers may be rotated indiscriminately so that it will beimpossible for a person not acquainted with the combination to open the lock. The sleeve members 23 of the tumblers may be rotated around the shackle when the device is operated to permit of the shackle in'the depression 2 to bring any desired depression 24 to engage the bit of the inner or collar member 20 of the tumbler, thus changing the combination of the lock.

The separator washer is arranged Iupon the longer leg of the shackle and the arm 4 of the case is adapted to engage the said leg with sufiicient friction to prevent the tumbler which rests upon the said washer from passing through the entrance member or portion of the bayonet slot, and so it is necessary that the said washer be removed be fore the tumblers can be separated from the shackle.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the simplicity of the device, as well as the advantages thereof will, it is thought, be perfectly apparent to those skilled in the art to which such invention appertains without further detailed description.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

In a permutation padlock, the combination with a shackle and a casing, said casing having a socket for the end of the short leg of the shackle, and an open chamber to receive the long leg of the shackle, said long leg having a longitudinal groove and a plurality of spaced annular depressions com.- municating with the groove, the said long leg at its end being further provided with a bayonet slot which communicates with the said longitudinal groove, a plurality of tum blers for the said long leg of the shackle each including a collar and a sleeve, each of said collars having an inwardly extending upon the long leg of the'shackle between the lug adapted to be passed through the bayo-' tumblers; 10 net slot, the longitudinal groove and to be In testimony whereof I affix my signature normally seated in one of the annular dein presence of two witnesses.

5 pressions, each of the sleeves having its DE WITT MEEK.

inner bore provided with a plurality of lon- \Vitnesses: gitudinal'depressions, one of which receiving J. R. YOUNG,

the bit of the collar, and Washer members FRANK BELL. 

